ON THE TIGRIDIA 



much as bulbs furnish us some of our most 

 important food products. 



We have seen that a good many of the plants 

 that are propagated solely from the bulb or tuber, 

 of which the potato is the most familiar example, 

 may give up the habit of seed production alto- 

 gether under cultivation. But, on the other hand, 

 it is observed that plants that produce compara- 

 tively small bulbs in the state of nature may be 

 stimulated to the production of far larger bulbs 

 and more abundant offshoots under cultivation. 

 And the inherent reason for this is obvious when 

 we consider the share the bulb must play in per- 

 petuating a species and aiding it in the struggle 

 for existence under widely varying conditions and 

 in competition with other plants. 



Making application to the particular case of 

 the tigridia, it has already been recorded that I 

 have found no difficulty in doubling or even quad- 

 rupling the bulk of the bulb of that plant, as well 

 as greatly increasing the tendency to the multipli- 

 cation of bulbs. 



I repeat that it will probably be found desirable 

 to cultivate the plant further along these lines 

 until it finds recognized place in the vegetable 

 garden as the producer of a food of the finest 

 quality, while at the same time retaining value as 

 the bearer of beautiful flowers. 



[105] 



